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San Diego County’s once-a-year Bike to Work Day is turning into a month-long celebration in May -- which also happens to be National Bike Month.

Bike to Work Day, May 20, is still the big tent pole for the month, but events are springing up around it, designed to emphasize the benefits and pleasures of bicycle riding around the county, both for commuting and recreation.

On May 15, for example, the will be a day of bicycle events in Balboa Park, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants can sign up for bike to work day, get their bicycles checked and tuned up, a maintenance classes, safety classes and more.

There will be weekly prize drawings for cyclists who sign up for bike to work day at iCommute and daily prizes for those who enter their trips in the site’s “TripTracker,” which calculates your cash and carbon emissions savings.

Cyclists who sign up for a bike locker in May will receive a free light and tire patch kit. There are 60 locations around the county with bike lockers, including 38 trolley stations, all Coaster and Sprinter stations, I-15 bus rapid transit stations and four Park & Ride lots.

Bike to Work day, on May 20, is the big deal of the month. San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) which promotes the event through its iCommute program plans at least 75 “pit stops” around the county where cyclers can get beverages, snacks and other goodies between 6 and 9 a.m.

Companies are encouraged to sign up for the month-long Corporate Challenge. Don’t let the name dissuade you. There are categories for companies from less than 25 employees up to the big guys. Companies will get points for commute trips logged in by staffers.

Companies that sign up can also get free in-house bicycle safety classes from the instructors at the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition.

Do you know of other Bicycle Month events scheduled that we can promote? Drop me a line at bob.hawkins@uniontrib.com .